Classical Music- Is it for Musicians only?

Jaybird180

Jaybird180

Final Approach
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Jaybird180
I was thinking about the first time I encountered someone listening to classical on a radio. I didn't get it; why would you purposely listen to THAT!

As I'd become more exposed to it, I came to see something different and during my time in music classes had begun to actually appreciate the skill required to play or compose a piece.

I went to a live performance once and really enjoyed myself.

Does anyone listen to it for pure entertainment value? Does anyone with no musical training listen to it?
 
We used to have a classical music radio station, and I'd listen during morning rush hour, once in a while, for a break from the normal sports talk or whatever. Depending on the music, I thought it was pretty calming.
 
Classical music encompasses a huge spectrum. I can't stand most opera. It's like 12 cats screaming for food. I'm also not a big fan of most of the Russians, who seem to think a musical instrument is a device of medieval torture that needs to be played as hard, and as vigorous as possible. Not impressed. I also am not a fan of the mid-century atonal experimenters with their bizzaro non-melodies, riddled with contrapuntal percussion.

Brahms, Schubert, Haydn Vivaldi, and some other S European composers, and most of the Italians are fine. hehe - I guess I'm like that Austrian critic - 'yes, too many notes' guy from the movie.
 
I don't know squat about classical music, but I do like how some of it sounds. It's like any other genre of music. I mostly listen to country, but I don't like all of it.
 
If it were not for Looney Tunes and other cartoons of the of that era, I'd likely have zero appreciation for it. There is no doubt that it planted seeds. I enjoy it, but am no expert. Maybe an advanced beginner when it comes to appreciation. I am not a musician.

I remember this one from saturday morning cartoons in the 80's

 
jhausch said:
If it were not for Looney Tunes and other cartoons of the of that era, I'd likely have zero appreciation for it. There is no doubt that it planted seeds. I enjoy it, but am no expert. Maybe an advanced beginner when it comes to appreciation. I am not a musician.

I remember this one from saturday morning cartoons in the 80's

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Ha! I know what you mean.

Now that you point it out, it sounds to me like the person playing the piano is stabbing at the keys. I had to turn it off. I know what I like, and that's not it. No fault of yours though.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Does anyone listen to it for pure entertainment value? Does anyone with no musical training listen to it?
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Yes, very occasionally, like this past Friday. specifically Beethoven's 9th performed by ??, in my car, running errands in rush hour traffic. Since I no longer 'rush', I decided to remove myself from the fray with the music.

For me, generally, classical doesn't lend itself to mindless background listening. It's not that you need to know anything but just be willing to go along with what you hear and feel. It's not 72 BPM dance music so you can't shut your mind down and just rock the body. There are no vocals except perhaps for pieces like the B's 9th, but it's in German. And on that same note, it's not all gentle or peaceful. I imagine that even German love songs are a bit brusque.

So, the 9th is pretty famous and you'll recognize many parts of it. Kubrick featured it in his somewhat violent Clockwork Orange... so much for peace and calm. And then the well known Wm Tell Overture drove this non-violent bit of the film:
Clockwork Orange

Anyway, I don't listen often but when I do, I should carry a baton so I can conduct while driving. Give some of it a try, you might like it.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Ha! I know what you mean.

Now that you point it out, it sounds to me like the person playing the piano is stabbing at the keys. I had to turn it off. I know what I like, and that's not it. No fault of yours though.
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For cryin out loud! It was a CAT playing a PIANO? Man are you picky...


:D:D:D
 
Classical on the radio doesn't do justice to hearing it live in a symphony auditorium. You don't hear the dynamics in recordings. Hearing it live is SO much better.
 
In the 60s my parents and my grandmother used to watch the Lawrence Welk Show. I could not stand it.

A few months ago I came across an old Lawrence Welk Show rerun. I watched it. I actually enjoyed it.


I have turned into my parents....
 
Matthew said:
We used to have a classical music radio station, and I'd listen during morning rush hour, once in a while, for a break from the normal sports talk or whatever. Depending on the music, I thought it was pretty calming.
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96.5 KXTR
 
Jaybird180 said:
Does anyone listen to it for pure entertainment value? Does anyone with no musical training listen to it?
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YES! Absolutely. Every day. The more you listen, the more it sucks you in. These days I'm particularly into early music. Like 15th century stuff. Early Renaissance, pre-Baroque. So many unique sounds and combinations. It really was such an innovative time in music history.

I tend to shy away from the standard Bach, Mozart, Beethoven as they have become rather staid. But once we start getting into the Late 19th century, stuff gets interesting again.

I'm particularly fond of choral music as well.

That said, I am a professional musician, so... there's that. BUT, I do think that anyone with a discerning ear can quickly develop a taste for "classical" music. I mostly listen to music to hear interesting sounds and combinations of line and harmony.
 
I listen to it frequently and prefer to hear it on those calm, quiet mornings on the road. I have 0 musical training and playing an instrument is something I have never been able to do well.
 
write-stuff said:
Classical on the radio doesn't do justice to hearing it live in a symphony auditorium. You don't hear the dynamics in recordings. Hearing it live is SO much better.
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Actually for me, the ability to observe the talented musicians is why I find live classical enjoyable.

No musical Background here...would never be able to listen to or enjoy it on the radio, but love to see and hear a good symphony live.
 
Zeldman said:
In the 60s my parents and my grandmother used to watch the Lawrence Welk Show. I could not stand it.

A few months ago I came across an old Lawrence Welk Show rerun. I watched it. I actually enjoyed it.


I have turned into my parents....
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In the 60s, my parents and my grandmother also watched the Lawrence Welk show. I still can't stand it.

On the other hand, I was also exposed to classical music as a child, and I enjoy some of it. Occasionally I will hear a piece and it will bring back memories.
 
I enjoy some classical music but not all. The same can be said of country, rock, folk, etc. I even like some of the hip hop stuff. The best way to listen to classical music is to go to a well conducted symphony orchestra performance. I can feel it, not just hear it. I love that.
 
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Matthew said:
They used to be on FM, then went to AM, then they disappeared. Nothing beats listening to classical on a crappy, scratchy, AM station.

I must have missed when they came back. Will check for it.
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That was the station back in the day. I think it switched to the Buzz (Pop/Alternative) back in 1995.
 
docmirror said:
Classical music encompasses a huge spectrum. I can't stand most opera. It's like 12 cats screaming for food. I'm also not a big fan of most of the Russians, who seem to think a musical instrument is a device of medieval torture that needs to be played as hard, and as vigorous as possible. Not impressed. I also am not a fan of the mid-century atonal experimenters with their bizzaro non-melodies, riddled with contrapuntal percussion.

Brahms, Schubert, Haydn Vivaldi, and some other S European composers, and most of the Italians are fine. hehe - I guess I'm like that Austrian critic - 'yes, too many notes' guy from the movie.
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Agreed 100% (although I grew up in playing percussion/marching/orchestral music). The classics are always well-received, but I don't follow the genre enough to know the modern composers. I'll tune in to SiriusXM 76 to listen for a while, but sometimes the Opera gets mixed in and I immediately switch stations again. I appreciate the talent of Opera singers, I just can't stand to listen to it.
 
Jaybird180 said:
I was thinking about the first time I encountered someone listening to classical on a radio. I didn't get it; why would you purposely listen to THAT!

As I'd become more exposed to it, I came to see something different and during my time in music classes had begun to actually appreciate the skill required to play or compose a piece.

I went to a live performance once and really enjoyed myself.

Does anyone listen to it for pure entertainment value? Does anyone with no musical training listen to it?
Click to expand...


I work at a PBS station on the television side and radio is just steps from my department. So the on air talent can monitor air while on bathroom breaks and such, the station is piped into the kitchen and bathroom. I've been here 10 years and as I've become more educated about classical music, my appreciation has grown. I also know what I like and don't like. Before my experience here, Looney Tunes was my classical music primer.

There are operas that I appreciate, but don't listen you. For one, they're too freaking long. There are recognizable arias that give me goosebumps when I hear them, but only because of their impact on popular culture. For instance, when the lowly Paul Potts sang "Nessum Dorma" on Britian's Got talent and made the female judge cry, I searched youtube for other versions of it and fell in love with it. That would not have happened without the impact of "Youtube" culture.
 
Opera is a bit of an acquired taste I find. I personally can't stand listening to an opera recording. But I love attending. A well done opera is pretty tough to beat simply because you are witnessing the height of multiple art forms. From the set design, to the instrumentalists, to the dancers, to the composers, to the singers themselves. All are the very best at what they do and they culminate in an a spectacle of sight and sound that is unmatched.

I think our ears are no longer accustomed to appreciate a highly refined voice which is a shame because what a real opera singer can do with their voice is pretty remarkable.
 
KeithASanford said:
I work at a PBS station on the television side and radio is just steps from my department. So the on air talent can monitor air while on bathroom breaks and such, the station is piped into the kitchen and bathroom. I've been here 10 years and as I've become more educated about classical music, my appreciation has grown. I also know what I like and don't like. Before my experience here, Looney Tunes was my classical music primer.

There are operas that I appreciate, but don't listen you. For one, they're too freaking long. There are recognizable arias that give me goosebumps when I hear them, but only because of their impact on popular culture. For instance, when the lowly Paul Potts sang "Nessum Dorma" on Britian's Got talent and made the female judge cry, I searched youtube for other versions of it and fell in love with it. That would not have happened without the impact of "Youtube" culture.
Click to expand...

My favorite is Ave Maria
 
Suggested listening if you think you don't like classical music (or want to get a taste of what you might like).

1. Mozart - Clarinet concerto, Piano concerto (especially #20, 21, 22, 27), serenade for 13 winds (3rd movement), piano/wind quintets, Requeim (really anything by Mozart)
2. Beethoven - Symphony #7, second movement. Piano concerto #5, "Emperor", Piano sonatas - Pathetique, Moonlight.
3. Bach - Brandenburg concertos, Cello suites, Goldberg variations (admittedly a bit of a stretch for new listeners)
4. Chopin - Nocturnes
5. Tchaikowsky: Piano concerto # 1
6. Saint-Saens: Organ Symphony, first and second movements
7. Grieg: "Solveig's Song", "In the Hall of the Mountain King"

Just a broad sampling that appeal to many tastes. Easy way to listen - paste any of these into YouTube search.
 
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jhausch said:
If it were not for Looney Tunes and other cartoons of the of that era, I'd likely have zero appreciation for it. There is no doubt that it planted seeds. I enjoy it, but am no expert. Maybe an advanced beginner when it comes to appreciation. I am not a musician.

I remember this one from saturday morning cartoons in the 80's
Click to expand...

Many pop-culture works score with classical music because there are no royalties to pay. That's why you've never heard "Happy Birthday" sung on TV or in movies -- its always "For S/he's a Jolly Good Fellow" or something equally unbelievable. It was recently reported that the copyright holder has lost the latest in a string of an ongoing court battles over their strenuously-enforced copyright on the song.
 
mturnerb said:
Suggested listening if you think you don't like classical music (or want to get a taste of what you might like).

1. Mozart - Clarinet concerto, Piano concerto (especially #20, 21, 22, 27), serenade for 13 winds (3rd movement), piano/wind quintets, Requeim (really anything by Mozart)
2. Beethoven - Symphony #7, second movement. Piano concerto #5, "Emperor", Piano sonatas - Pathetique, Moonlight.
3. Bach - Brandenburg concertos, Cello suites, Goldberg variations (admittedly a bit of a stretch for new listeners)
4. Chopin - Nocturnes
5. Tchaikowsky: Piano concerto # 1
6. Saint-Saens: Organ Symphony, first and second movements
7. Grieg: "Solveig's Song", "In the Hall of the Mountain King"

Just a broad sampling that appeal to many tastes. Easy way to listen - paste any of these into YouTube search.
Click to expand...

That's a great list! Beethoven is still my favorite, and I am definitely biased towards "darker" and more intense classical music. Spotify has some very nice playlists in this category. None of the lite stuff for me.

One of my absolute favorite things to do in the winter is to sit by the fireplace, read, and listen to LOUD classical music.
 
Tchaikovski's 1812 Overature impressed me young and still makes me stop to listen. I'd say my early classical music exposure was from cowboy movies. Rossini's William Tell??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7O91GDWGPU

I'll never forget when my daughter was a young baby she'd turn full attention whenever she heard a violin. Small wonder she learned to play. Big strings are impressive. As for Opera? It depends on the venue. Stop by a European opera house and you might want to stay awhile.

Don't blow off New Age classical. Secret Garden is one group I highly recommend.
 
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Zeldman said:
In the 60s my parents and my grandmother used to watch the Lawrence Welk Show. I could not stand it.

A few months ago I came across an old Lawrence Welk Show rerun. I watched it. I actually enjoyed it.


I have turned into my parents....
Click to expand...

Lawrence Welk didn't play "classical" music, but you have to admire the consummate musicianship of his orchestra and guests.
 
Old Geek said:
Bach.
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https://youtu.be/aYSG8AQO3tw

s320x320-3.png
 
mturnerb said:
Suggested listening if you think you don't like classical music (or want to get a taste of what you might like).

1. Mozart - Clarinet concerto, Piano concerto (especially #20, 21, 22, 27), serenade for 13 winds (3rd movement), piano/wind quintets, Requeim (really anything by Mozart)
2. Beethoven - Symphony #7, second movement. Piano concerto #5, "Emperor", Piano sonatas - Pathetique, Moonlight.
3. Bach - Brandenburg concertos, Cello suites, Goldberg variations (admittedly a bit of a stretch for new listeners)
4. Chopin - Nocturnes
5. Tchaikowsky: Piano concerto # 1
6. Saint-Saens: Organ Symphony, first and second movements
7. Grieg: "Solveig's Song", "In the Hall of the Mountain King"

Just a broad sampling that appeal to many tastes. Easy way to listen - paste any of these into YouTube search.
Click to expand...

+1 for the Organ Symphony. Cool stuff right there. I would also suggest the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto in C to accompany the Tchaikowsky mentioned above.

For me personally, Beethoven gets to be ponderous. He starts and finishes well but I usually get a little tuned out in the middle bits.

Something a little different but very fun to listen to are the Praetorius' Dances from Terpischore. Just pretend you're listening to courtly music from Henry XIII.

Some more great works for the uninitiated are:

Brahams - Hungarian Dance #6
Dvorak - Slavonic Dances (any of them, they're short)
Smetena - Overture from the Bartered Bride
Holst - "The Planets" (particularly Jupiter and Mars)
R.V. Williams - Lark Ascending and Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Barber - Adagio for Strings

If you want choral music that will melt your soul, I highly recommend the Kansas City Chorale recording of Grechoninov's Holy Week settings. If you want something more traditional, the Paul McCreesh recording of Handel's Messiah is pretty mind blowing. (not the tired performance you hear the Morman Tabernacle do every Christmas)
 
mturnerb said:
Piano concerto #5, "Emperor"
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That's another one that been in a movie. I can still see Richard Dreyfus playing it in "The Competition". Of course if someone is not interested in classical music they probably didn't watch it.
 
labbadabba said:
+1 for the Organ Symphony. Cool stuff right there. I would also suggest the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto in C to accompany the Tchaikowsky mentioned above.

For me personally, Beethoven gets to be ponderous. He starts and finishes well but I usually get a little tuned out in the middle bits.

Something a little different but very fun to listen to are the Praetorius' Dances from Terpischore. Just pretend you're listening to courtly music from Henry XIII.

Some more great works for the uninitiated are:

Brahams - Hungarian Dance #6
Dvorak - Slavonic Dances (any of them, they're short)
Smetena - Overture from the Bartered Bride
Holst - "The Planets" (particularly Jupiter and Mars)
R.V. Williams - Lark Ascending and Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis
Barber - Adagio for Strings

If you want choral music that will melt your soul, I highly recommend the Kansas City Chorale recording of Grechoninov's Holy Week settings. If you want something more traditional, the Paul McCreesh recording of Handel's Messiah is pretty mind blowing. (not the tired performance you hear the Morman Tabernacle do every Christmas)
Click to expand...

I'm not as big on the English composers (with "exception" of Handel who was German but wrote mostly for British audiences), but the Barber adagio is outstanding (also featured in a movie, "Platoon"). Smetana is great, I love "Die Moldau" - very dramatic piece.

I feel about Holst as you do Beethoven - a matter of tastes.

Love Rach, but gets long - great short piece is the Prelude in C# minor (Piano) also known as "The Bells of Moscow". (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw1Pd9oojdM)

TB
 
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